byu basketball

‘This has been a dream come true’: Richie Saunders reflects on his storied BYU career

Published: March 19, 2026, 11:14 p.m. MDT

BYU guard Richie Saunders holds a ball as he watches his teammates warm up during a practice the day before a first-round college basketball game against Texas in the NCAA Tournament held at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Isaac Hale, Deseret News

By Jackson Payne

Jackson has been writing about sports for the Deseret News since 2023.

PORTLAND, Ore. — It’s already one of the most haunting “what ifs” in BYU history.

What if Richie Saunders never tore his ACL?

Would BYU have defeated Texas in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 64 Thursday?

Could the Cougars have avoided their late-season swoon and received more favorable tournament seeding?

Was BYU destined to play deeper into March?

The world will never know.

But such unanswered questions shouldn’t cloud who Saunders was for BYU prior to his ill-timed injury.

“He’s been the heart and soul of our program since I took this job,” said BYU head coach Kevin Young following Thursday’s 79-71 first round loss to Texas in Portland. “I love him.”

Saunders was of a dying breed, the 4-year player who didn’t waver in his loyalty to the program he chose out of high school.

He believed. He stayed. He grew. He won.

His scrappy, hustling style of play made him impossible to take off the court. His shooting and rebounding many times made him the best player on it.

He became the face of BYU basketball for an entire generation of Cougar fans who may never see another player quite like him in the program.

For Saunders, who grew up cheering for BYU and hoping to one day grace the Marriott Center hardwood, he remains grateful for the experience of playing in Provo, even if the ending wasn’t all that sweet.

“I mean, it’s been a dream come true,” Saunders said Thursday of his BYU career. “Looking back, I know for a very long time I’ll remember winning here, just the joy that brought me to be able to put on this uniform.”

There are no shortage of highlights from his time at BYU, but Saunders said two in particular especially stood out for him.

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“I think last year, that (Sweet 16) run was one of my core memories, along with the Iowa State game (an 88-85 double overtime victory in 2025), that was a really fun one,” Saunders said.

“I’m still trying to look back on this year and work through those emotions and stuff, but this has been a dream come true. I’ve loved it.”

BYU’s season — and Saunders’ college career — may be over, but Saunders is appreciative of the effort and resilience he observed from his teammates as he watched them from the bench.

“Just proud of my team for fighting, for staying together,” Saunders said. “It’s been an amazing time being with them.”